Essay - Attributes of the Ideal Leader in Higher Education the Impact...

Attributes of the Ideal Leader in Higher Education

The impact of an organization's leadership on its performance is well documented, but when it comes to higher education, a number of th*****gs h*****ve changed in recent years that have challenged even the most effective leader's ability. Distance learning initiatives, fundamental changes in the type ***** adults being educated and a shaky national economy as well as dwindling state educational budgets ***** all contributed to the challenges ***** encountered today. To identify what attributes characterize ***** ideal leader in higher ***** settings, this paper provides a review of the relevant peer-reviewed ***** scholarly literature concerning methods ***** directing nontraditional education for adults. An assessment of where, when, and how learning ***** effective *****ship occur, ***** opportunities, leadership *****, how ***** will participate and the purpose of activities. A summary ***** the research and salient findings are presented in the conclusion.

Review and Discussion

***** resources ***** by def*****ition scarce and the impact of an org*****ization's leadership on its performance is ***** documented, it is little wonder that the subject of ***** leadership in ***** education has received an increasing amount of attention in recent years. In th***** regard, Kezar (2007) reports that, "Leadership is one of ***** ***** d*****cussed topics in higher education. Whether it be the need for ***** or the qualities ***** effective leaders, *****ers ***** practitioners alike search for answers to the puzzle of what leadership can create *****tter institutions and a stronger system of ***** education in the United States" (p. 119). This author reviews a ***** publication (The Research University Presidency in ***** Late 20th Century: ***** Life Cycle/Case His*****ry Approach by H. Keith *****. Brodie and Leslie Banner. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2005) and cites the distinct different approach that these authors used to identify ***** attributes ***** effective leaders in higher ***** *****. *****deed, the robust qualities of the text by Brodie and ***** make their f*****dings generalizable to other organizations besides just higher education, but Kezar suggests that one ***** the most important findings in the text was that ***** leadership in ***** education is context based, and ***** may be regarded as ideal leadership in ***** setting may not ***** regarded as such in an*****.

Stressing the need to be able to measure the effectiveness of educational leaders, Rosser, Johnsrud and Heck (2003) report that, "Over the past decade, higher education institutions have ********** increasingly held accountable for measurable out*****. Increases in competition for scarce resources and a decrease in the public's trust in ***** education practices have resulted in demands ***** campuses ***** demonstrate ***** productivity, effectiveness, and efficiency" (p. 1). The purpose ***** this study was to describe a systematic ***** for evaluat*****g the leadership ***** of educational leaders such as deans and directors from both individual and institutional perspectives. The authors emp*****ize that higher educational leaders ***** as deans and ***** play a critic*****l role in their respective *****. "As academic leaders," Rosser and her colleagues advise, "they ***** the authority